Tell USDA Not to Speed Up Poultry Slaughter Lines

Nine out of 10 land animals killed for food in the U.S. are poultry. Unfortunately these chickens, turkeys and other birds have no protection under federal animal welfare laws—not even during slaughter.

Now the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to allow faster line speeds in poultry slaughterhouses. From an animal welfare perspective, this raises red flags: We all know that when you rush, mistakes happen. Workers need to be as careful as possible when handling live birds to ensure proper procedures are followed.